Beinn fhada (officially) goes from the pass (or bealach) rather than the summit, although I’m sure the summit has been done (in fact I think Mctrail rider has clip’s on YouTube with both!

I’ve ridden from the summit. It’s good but not as good as the descent from the bealach. I’ve said before that I think it to be the longest vertical drop of any rideable descent in the UK. Ben Nevis would obviously be more but it’s not all rideable unless you’re right skilly.

I’m going to throw the Sgurr Ban slabs in. It’s a mile of continuous bedrock on what looks like marble smooth quartzite that fortunately turns out to have plenty of grip. Starts from 800m and descends to 250m, getting steeper and steeper, following exposed diagonal lines on rock at nearly staircase angle. There’s a huge overlap to drop off (2.5m?) for the really hardcore,apart from that all ridable.
Sgurr Ban is in very remote Fisherfield, you start 5 miles west of Braemore junction following Loch Bhraoin then a bit of pushing. The main rock tongue above Loch Nid is hiked up then ridden down. Route continues down the glen then up past An Teallach to the road. The huge quartzite escarpment to the north of the Coire Halle track here needs some serious scoping out by someone.

I’m going to throw the Sgurr Ban slabs in. It’s a mile of continuous bedrock on what looks like marble smooth quartzite that fortunately turns out to have plenty of grip. Starts from 800m and descends to 250m, getting steeper and steeper, following exposed diagonal lines on rock at nearly staircase angle. There’s a huge overlap to drop off (2.5m?) for the really hardcore,apart from that all ridable.
Sgurr Ban is in very remote Fisherfield, you start 5 miles west of Braemore junction following Loch Bhraoin then a bit of pushing. The main rock tongue above Loch Nid is hiked up then ridden down. Route continues down the glen then up past An Teallach to the road. The huge quartzite escarpment to the north of the Coire Halle track here needs some serious scoping out by someone.

I’ve added this thread to my favourites so I can do this ride. I remember someone (probably yourself) describing these slabs years ago and promised myself I’d ride them……and haven’t 😳.
Cheers for the reminder 👍

There’s a couple of Lakes descents mentioned I’m not familiar with. Any pointers would be appreciated.

Rigg beck – is it the FP running alongside the beck? Follow it all the way from Buttermere?

Dalehead Maiden moor and down to Grange – From Dale Head down to the tarn, along to Maiden Moor then join BW past Black Crag?

Bump on this – anyone able to point me in the right direction please?

Aye, from Buttermere, it basically mirrors along the north of newlands pass, heading west to newlands. It was alright, nice bit of singletrack, but I don’t recall it being great.

Buttermere-side is Sale Beck, Braithwaite-side is Rigg Beck. Stoneycroft up, Rigg Beck down is a popular quick blast for us locals, although the descent is pretty much always wet.

Aye, it was soaking. The climb up was a horrible surface to pedal, prompting one mate to say that it was like pedalling on Archie McPherson’s* hair.

Which it has been known as on Strava ever since. 😂

*Scottish fitba legend

What about the descent from above Cotterdale to Hardraw? Not remotely technical, but fast and … fun! Also, in a similar vein is the descent from the calf to Sedbergh. Ullock Pike is way beyond my skill level.

Of those I’ve ridden…

Skiddaw into Ullock. 95% awesome, but the (for me) not easily rideable sections spoil the flow.
Helvellyn into Stick’s Pass and Seldom Seen. Great apart from the boggy traverse into the top of Seldom Seen.
Rigg Beck from Crag Hill/Sail. Nothing really tricky, just a long, flowy singletrack descent.
The Cobbler. If you can be there when there are no walkers…

My personal favourite though, is still over from Watendlath into Braithwaite. Not super long, not super tech, but has a bit of everything and keeps you on your toes enough to be proper fun.

EDIT. Just occurred to me on reflection that I quite like riding in The Lakes…

@parkedtiger, up stoney croft then up the reddish single-track to the little col at end of sail, then straight over into rigg beck? Is that correct and about 90mins?

Yep.

Just rode Grange > Honister > Warnscale > Buttermere > Sail Beck > Rigg Beck > back to Grange as I’d wanted to do the two descents for ages and TBH I was a bit disappointed.

The top section of Warnscale had too many unrideable bits (for my skill level anyway) and Rigg Beck, whilst fun and flowy towards the end, wasn’t really worth the slog up Sail Beck to get there (may work better as shorter loop starting from Stoneycroft as mentioned above though).

So, in my limited experience, my fave descents are Watendlath to Rosthwaite and Styhead to Stockley Bridge with an honourable mention going to Hause Gate to Manesty.

It’s surprising how much more confidence you get with a bit of regular exposure to this type of terrain. I’m riding stuff I wouldn’t have dared just a year or two ago and picking my way down a technical rocky descent is probably my favourite type of riding now.

Hoping to get a few of these Lakes descents ticked off this weekend.

Whiteless and Grizedale Pike look like they make sense to do as a loop – which is the best way to do it?

I was looking at starting at Braythwaite, along Coledale beck up to Coledale Hause, down Whiteless to Buttermere, then alongside Crummock on the road, up Liza Beck then across to Grizedale. Does that make sense?

And if anyone’s done that before, any idea how long it takes?

Makes sense Mark, its a decent big day out and the flog up gasgale gill/liza beck seems endless. There is a mid-height path that is better than staying right by the gill on the left bank looking up, hard to explain. Beware some strong winds forecast this weekend that may make this route less appealing, sunday looking better at the moment. When you descend whiteless hang a right down rannerdale, better and more logical riding than continuing down to Buttermere. I’d allow 4-5 hours, remember it gets dark early up here this time of year!

@mark88 – I’d say you’re looking at a good 4-5 hours at least to do all that.

However, if you’ve never ridden Grizedale Pike and are planning on descending down the footpath heading East off the front (that takes you all the way to Braithwaite) to finish, I’d strongly advise carrying up it to give you an idea of what you’re letting yourself in for. Otherwise you’ll end up pushing down most of it.

As a bonus of carrying up GP to start, you get to gain most of your height pedalling up the road and through the south loop of Whinlatter, plus the descent off GP heading for Whiteless Pike is class in itself.

If you descend whiteless, make sure you take in rannerdale knots, lovely wee stretch.

Otherwise you’ll end up pushing down most of it.

he really won’t 🙂

As a bonus of carrying up GP to start, you get to gain most of your height pedalling up the road and through the south loop of Whinlatter, plus the descent off GP heading for Whiteless Pike is class in itself.

Sounds ideal. Thanks all.

Sods law once I have something to look forward to planned, the alternator went in the van decides to pack up.

Hopefully I can get it sorted tomorrow. plan was Whiteless/Grizedale Friday, walking Saturday, Stonethwaite/Stake Pass/Styhead Tarn loop Sunday.

That’s a great weekend, enjoy.

Yeah serious wind in the Lakes this weekend. Keep an eye on this https://www.mwis.org.uk/forecasts/english-and-welsh/lake-district

Do any of you guys ever look at a forecast, going to be gales on friday into Saturday and icy! have fun.

I’ll presume you didn’t mean for that to come across so condescending Fergal. Us guys do look at a forecast. That was initially showing as a rare dry weekend, hence the timing, and plans were then changed due to the wind.